The year 2013 was one of Manchester United’s most crucial. Sir Alex Ferguson was set to leave the club after 26 years, having won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles. The biggest question among football fans was: who would replace him? United needed someone who could carry on the legacy Alex Ferguson had built.

José Mourinho could have been the man to succeed Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013. More than a decade later, the Portuguese manager has revealed why he ultimately walked away from the opportunity.

In his newly released Netflix documentary — Mourinho — the 63-year-old manager says he had agreed to take over at Old Trafford following Alex’s retirement. However, he changed his mind and chose to return to Chelsea instead.

“When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex,” Mourinho says in the documentary.

Alex Ferguson also features in the series and confirms that Mourinho had been offered the job. According to Alex, the two had discussed the situation and he believed Mourinho had accepted the position. But the decision changed within hours. Mourinho later called Alex to tell him that he could not take the job because he had already given his word to Chelsea.

Mourinho had a strong connection with Chelsea, having guided the club to consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 during his first spell. After leaving Real Madrid in 2013, he returned to Stamford Bridge for a second stint.

“I’ve given my word to Chelsea and I’m not going to break my word,” Alex Ferguson recalls Mourinho telling him during the phone call. Ferguson admits that he was disappointed but said he understood Mourinho’s reasoning.

Manchester United eventually appointed David Moyes as Alex’s successor. David’s tenure lasted less than a year before he was dismissed in April 2014. Mourinho would eventually become Manchester United manager, but not until 2016. He spent two-and-a-half seasons at Old Trafford, winning the League Cup and Europa League in his first season before leaving the club in December 2018.

The revelation adds another chapter to one of football’s biggest managerial “what ifs”: what might have happened if Mourinho had taken over from Ferguson in 2013?

For now, Mourinho’s explanation is clear. Manchester United had the appeal, but his promise to Chelsea proved stronger than his desire to join Manchester United.